Miami Dolphins rookie Malcolm Perry was not a super hot commodity in the 2020 NFL Draft — he lasted until the final round, after all. But regardless of Perry’s NFL projection and his ability to stick on the Dolphins’ roster in 2020 and beyond, one thing that is impossible to ignore is that Perry is one slippery dude.

Perry played quarterback for Navy and was the triggerman to the Midshipmen’s option offense — showcasing terrific agility and creativity with the ball in his hands. That trait ultimately helped convince the Dolphins to make the investment into his skills and he’ll now try to apply those gifts to the field as either a running back or a wide receiver. But just how elusive was Perry?

Not only did he rush for over 2,000 yards in 2019 as a senior, Perry forced nearly twice as many missed tackles in 2019 as the next best non-running back in the country! That stat comes courtesy of Pro Football Focus’ college charting and serves as perhaps the most impressive reminder of what Perry is capable of with the ball in his hands.

Forced missed tackles among non-RBs in 2019:

1. Malcolm Perry, Navy – 90
2. Lynn Bowden Jr, Kentucky – 55 pic.twitter.com/jR5DACzJk9

— PFF College (@PFF_College) July 4, 2020

It’s now up to the Dolphins to find the right role for Perry to have the ball in his hands in the pros — and if he’s able to replicate anywhere near the same levels of success, odds are the Dolphins are going to be smitten with this late round selection. It may require some time and some investment into Perry on the practice squad before any tangible production comes around and Perry’s odds to make an early impact may be damaged by the dwindling number of preseason games on the schedule in 2020.

If there are no preseason games to be played, Perry may end up landing on the practice squad by default. If he does, it is hard to envision another team plucking him from Miami in favor of their active roster with no NFL reps on his resume.

The Miami Dolphins were swift in their signings of most of their 2020 NFL Draft class. Within just a few weeks, the Dolphins were able to secure OG Solomon Kindley, DEs Jason Strowbridge & Curtis Weaver, LS Blake Ferguson, QB Tua Tagovailoa, DL Raekwon Davis and S Brandon Jones. These player signings didn’t just come quickly after the draft, they all came within days of each other, too.

Since that flurry, however? It’s been much more quiet on the Dolphins contract front. The Dolphins, entering the week, still had to sign OL Robert Hunt & Austin Jackson, CB Noah Igbinoghene and RB/WR Malcolm Perry.

That list got one name shorter yesterday.

Congratulations to @USNavy @NavyFB Malcolm Perry on signing his contract with the @MiamiDolphins!

— Jason Bernstein (@Clarity_JB) June 2, 2020

The Dolphins reportedly signed Perry yesterday according to a tweet from his agent, indicating that the former triggerman of Navy’s triple option offense is officially set to join the Dolphins and bring his versatility to the field for Miami. Perry has been a fascinating player projection despite his status as a 7th-round selection, given that he’s handled the football in so many different capacities throughout the course of his career with Navy.

Will he serve as a return man? How realistic is it that he logs carries out of the backfield? Will he be called upon as a slot receiver in the passing game? With so many different possibilities, Perry is well aligned to find an area in which he can make an impact — and potentially make this team in 2020. The Dolphins will certainly be looking to find ways to accommodate his playmaking skills with the ball in his hands as the team looks to reignite explosive plays in the offense. And, as you’d expect from a Navy Midshipmen, he was one of the most high-character players in the 2020 NFL Draft — making him a match made in heaven for Brian Flores’ team culture.

The Miami Dolphins’ last draft selection in 2020 was a fascinating one — the team drafted Navy’s Malcolm Perry with their eleventh and final pick. Perry, who served as the triggerman for Navy’s triple option offense, is lightning in a bottle; he’s a “blink and you’ll miss him” type of athlete who has created tons of chunk plays over his time with the Midshipmen. But where exactly should the Dolphins be looking to phase Perry into the offense? He, as a triple option quarterback, can probably serve a role as a gadget player but he’s not someone who should be leaned upon in drop back situations or as a routine passer.

His long speed isn’t great either and from a size stature, he’s undersized for just about every position he could qualify for. So, where does he fit into Miami’s puzzle?

His number assignment is perhaps the best clue — Perry was assigned the number 10 by the team, indicating that wide receiver may be his primary role despite his exposure at the college level being primarily as a ball carrier. How good was Perry with the ball in his hands? He rushed for 2,017 yards as a senior in 2019. The assumption would be an easy one to presume that talent as a rusher would lead to reps at running back, but there’s going to be no clear indication on a primary role one way or the other.

Perhaps the best way to make the best use of Perry is to let him be an athlete and use him in a schemed role. Those kinds of players don’t typically offer value on a 53-man roster due to their “specialization” with reps, but if Perry’s silky smooth cuts can transition into a role as a returner, that’s his ticket to make the roster and allow the Dolphins to shovel some reps as an offensive Swiss army knife onto his plate in 2020 and beyond.